Systems and Methods for Location-Aware Electronic Devices

ABSTRACT

Methods and systems for tracking locations of a plurality of devices include initializing a computing device with a site floor plan. One or more electronic devices transmit ranging information to the computing device and their initial locations are marked on the site floor plan. Upon movement of the devices to subsequent locations, and further transmission of ranging information, the site floor plan shows movement of the devices between positions for display to a user.

This application claims priority as a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/040,811, entitled “Systems and Methods forLocation-Aware Imaging Devices,” filed Sep. 30, 2013.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure generally relates to locating systems, and, moreparticularly, to systems and methods for locating multiple electronicdevices in a customer location.

2. Description of the Related Art

Many companies are taking managed print services (MPSs) from printermanufacturers and/or MPS providers to help manage their growing fleet ofequipment and output devices such as copiers, printers, multi-functiondevices, and any other imaging device. An MPS is typically implementedwith a network-enabled tool that comes in the form of software thatmonitors the status of each imaging device including print volumes,paper and ink/toner levels, availability, working condition, andlocation within company premises. By knowing the status of each imagingdevice, an MPS can respond properly to specific needs, such asgenerating automatic orders to replace near-empty supply items, andpromptly sending personnel to imaging devices requiring servicing oncemalfunctions or other types of failures are detected.

Often, billing rates are partially dependent on equipment uptime suchthat MPS providers have vested interest in maximizing it, which in turnrequires minimizing the time required to dispatch service techniciansand accomplish the required services. In some cases, a major impedimentto rapid service is the difficulty experienced by the service technicianin actually locating equipment requiring service. This introduces hiddencost of time wasted when a piece of equipment is awaiting maintenance.

In order to keep track of each imaging device in a fleet, some practicesfor MPS include manually recording imaging device location informationin a database. Location information may include, but are not limited to,street address of the customer location, building floor on which theimaging devices are located, room names and/or numbers. However, suchinformation may become inaccurate if the imaging devices are relocatedwithout notifying the MPS provider and/or updating the database in lightof the changes. In still some other cases, floor plans are received fromcustomers and proposed locations of imaging devices are supplied to thecustomers using the floor plans. However, these proposed locations arenot always followed and no post-installation verification indicating theactual locations of the imaging devices are often given to the MPSprovider. As a result, a service technician, when dispatched to servicean imaging device, may be given information that is inaccurate orambiguous. Once onsite, the technician may spend considerable timelocating the correct imaging device for servicing.

Accordingly, there is a need for a method and system that keepsreal-time visibility of exact locations of electronic or imaging devicesin a customer location.

SUMMARY

Methods and systems for tracking locations of a plurality of devicesincludes initializing a server with a site floor plan, receiving ranginginformation transmitted by one or more devices of the plurality ofdevices at the server, creating a multi-dimensional map of locations ofthe plurality of devices based on ranging information using a locationengine, and calibrating the multi-dimensional map of locations to thesite floor plan calibrated with geospatial coordinates. Upon movement ofa device from a first to a second location, ranging information changesbetween devices and maps, relative locations and absolute locations areupdated.

Other embodiments, objects, features and advantages of the disclosurewill become apparent to those skilled in the art from the detaileddescription, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of the presentdisclosure, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparentand will be better understood by reference to the following descriptionof example embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings. Like reference numerals are used to indicate the same elementthroughout the specification.

FIG. 1 illustrates a network interconnecting a plurality of devices.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating one example embodiment of trackinglocations of imaging devices within a customer location.

FIG. 3 illustrates a floor plan calibrated with geospatial coordinates.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating one example embodiment of a method ofobtaining ranging information.

FIG. 5 illustrates a two-dimensional grid that shows position ordistance relationship between imaging devices.

FIG. 6 illustrates the two-dimensional grid in FIG. 5 superimposed onthe floor plan in FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 illustrates a three-dimensional grid of imaging devicessuperimposed on a multi-level floor plan.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate the two-dimensional grid of imaging devices inFIG. 5 as superimposed on the floor plan of FIG. 6, respectively,including a new or moved location of an imaging device and its newposition or distance relationship between the remaining imaging devices.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following description and drawings illustrate example embodimentssufficiently to enable those skilled in the art to practice the presentdisclosure. It is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited tothe details of construction and the arrangement of components set forthin the following description or illustrated in the drawings. Thedisclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or ofbeing carried out in various ways. For example, other embodiments mayincorporate structural, chronological, electrical, process, and otherchanges. Examples merely typify possible variations. Individualcomponents and functions are optional unless explicitly required, andthe sequence of operations may vary. Portions and features of someembodiments may be included in or substituted for those of others. Thescope of the application encompasses the appended claims and allavailable equivalents. The following description is, therefore, not tobe taken in a limited sense, and the scope of the present disclosure isdefined by the appended claims.

It will be understood that each block of the diagrams, and combinationsof blocks in the diagrams, respectively, may be implemented by computerprogram instructions. These computer program instructions may be loadedonto a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or otherprogrammable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such thatthe instructions which execute on the computer or other programmabledata processing apparatus may create means for implementing thefunctionality of each block of the diagrams or combinations of blocks inthe diagrams discussed in detail in the description below.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in anon-transitory computer-readable memory that may direct a computer orother programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particularmanner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readablememory produce an article of manufacture including an instruction meansthat implements the function specified in the block or blocks. Thecomputer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer orother programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series ofoperational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmableapparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that theinstructions that execute on the computer or other programmableapparatus implement the functions specified in the block or blocks.

Accordingly, blocks of the diagrams support combinations of means forperforming the specified functions, combinations of steps for performingthe specified functions and program instruction means for performing thespecified functions. It will also be understood that each block of thediagrams, and combinations of blocks in the diagrams, can be implementedby special purpose hardware-based computer systems that perform thespecified functions or steps, or combinations of special purposehardware and computer instructions.

Disclosed are systems and methods for tracking locations of multipledevices within a customer location. A customer location may be definedas a physical site or location specified by a customer where itsoperations take place such as buildings or infrastructures, includingsurrounding campuses and/or satellite offices, etc. The customerlocation may be equipped with a mix of different devices, includingimaging devices, distributed at various locations and made accessible todifferent users. In one example embodiment, the imaging devices withinthe customer location may be configured to create a self-maintainedecosystem of imaging devices that can detect and report positions andmovement of any individual imaging device within the ecosystem. Theimaging devices in the ecosystem communicate with each other to generateranging information and, thereafter, send the ranging information to aserver for processing. In turn, the server calculates the exact locationof each imaging device relative to each other using the ranginginformation. In one aspect, the server overlays the location of eachdevice with a customer location floor plan calibrated with geospatialcoordinates. In this way, the location of each device is calibrated tothe floor plan as well as with geospatial coordinates such that accuratedevice location may be provided to a service technician when dispatchedto service an imaging device requiring maintenance, or provided forother reasons. Additionally, a real-time monitoring and tracking systemfor devices may also be provided without requiring external devices,such as access points or beacons, to determine the exact locations ofeach imaging device. Instead, the monitoring or tracking system may onlydepend upon the devices themselves to detect and locate each other.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, there isshown an illustration of a network 110 which interconnects a pluralityof devices within a customer location. Network 110 may have any one of anumber of network topologies and signal protocols, and may be any typeof network, including a local area network (LAN), a wide area network(WAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), or any other type of networkcapable of interconnecting network devices. Network devices may includea workstations 115, laptops 120, imaging devices 125, and a networkserver 130, each connected to network 110 through associated interfacedevices, such as network interface cards (NICs). Electroniccommunication between devices may operate using a wired connection, suchfor example, using Ethernet UTP or fiber optic cables, or a wirelessnetworking standard, such as IEEE 802.XX.

Network server 130 may be a web server and/or a managed print service(MPS) location server provided to manage all interconnected peripheralnetwork devices, more particularly imaging devices 125, within network110. MPS location server 130 may include a database which may be used tostore information associated with the interconnected imaging devicessuch as, for example, IP or MAC addresses, status information, operationlogs, or location information.

According to an example embodiment, MPS location server 130 may updatethe information of the database if the imaging devices have changes intheir states. For example, MPS server 130 may update informationassociated with a particular imaging device relating to its currentlocation. In an example embodiment, information relating to the locationof the imaging device, such as for example, building name, floor number,room number, etc., may be retrieved from MPS location server 130 andprovided to a user, when requested. In one aspect, the locationinformation may be provided to the user in the form of a textdescription of the location. In another aspect, a floor plan indicatingthe location of the imaging device may be displayed on a user interfacescreen, such as for example, on a computer monitor or on a handhelddevice. In order for the location information stored in the database tobe accurate, MPS location server 130 may constantly monitor changes inlocations of the imaging devices and accordingly update the locationinformation once changes occur.

According to an example embodiment of the present disclosure, MPSlocation server 130 may depend on the imaging devices to detect eachother in order to determine the exact location of each imaging device.Each imaging device may scan for other imaging devices within range andproduce ranging information or position data that includes, for example,distance calculations/estimations between itself and the other imagingdevices within range. The imaging devices may then forward the ranginginformation containing distance estimations to MPS location server 130for processing. In turn, MPS location server 130 may calculate the exactlocation of each imaging device using the collected ranging information.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a flowchart illustrating oneexample method of tracking, monitoring, or determining exact locationsof imaging devices within a customer location. At block 200, MPSlocation server may be initialized with a map of the customer premise.For example, the map may be a floor plan 310, as shown in FIG. 3, thatshows and lays out the arrangement of rooms and spaces at a particularlevel or floor of a building. In the case where the customer locationincludes a multi-story building, MPS location server 130 may beinitialized with floor plans of each floor of the multi-story building.

In an example embodiment, floor plan 310 may be calibrated withgeospatial coordinates. Geospatial coordinates may include geospatialattributes such as longitude and latitude pairs, and/or altitude (formulti-story buildings). In one example aspect, GPS equipment may be usedto establish geospatial reference coordinates on the floor plan. Forexample, a GPS device may be taken to various locations or cornerswithin a building. At each location, the GPS device may communicate witha GPS satellite to obtain geospatial coordinate values at the currentlocation. The acquired values may then be used to establish geospatialreference coordinates on the floor plan. In other example aspects,geospatial information may be obtained by surveying the site, airborneor satellite mapping, or any other technique that can be employed todetermine and obtain geospatial information.

At block 210, the imaging devices may be provided with radio devices,such as radio transceivers or transponders, upon initial installation inthe customer location. The radio devices may be used to facilitatelocation determination operations, as will be explained in greaterdetail below. In one example embodiment, the radio devices may bederived from a wide variety of local positioning systems, such asReal-Time Location Systems (RTLS), which incorporate a wide variety ofRF frequencies, such as for example, 433 MHz, 915 MHz, 2.4 GHz, and 3-10GHz. Signals and waveforms used in RTLS may be continuous waves or pulsewaves. RTLS methods and protocols that may be used may include, but arenot limited to, ZigBee, RuBee, 6LoWPAN, DASH7, Wi-Fi, and UWB(Ultra-wideband).

Each radio device may include an antenna and a circuit that isconfigurable to operate as a transmitter and a receiver. In addition,each radio device may also include a backup power source, such as abattery, so that radio devices may continue to function in the eventassociated imaging devices are powered off or lose power due to powerinterruptions or hardware failure.

At block 220, after installation, the radio devices may periodicallytransmit identifying radio signals and perform distance measuringprocesses to produce ranging information. The ranging information may beused by MPS location server 130 to calculate the exact locations of eachimaging device in the customer location, as will be explained in detailbelow.

RTLS systems typically use stationary readers, beacons or access pointsto receive wireless signals from badges or tags attached to objects inorder to produce ranging information and determine the locations of theobjects, i.e., the objects are referenced relative to the fixed accesspoints. In most customer locations, however, it may be advantageous toimplement a system that does not add additional infrastructure to thecustomer premise. Since the imaging devices themselves are fairlystationary types of devices and do not move very often, they may be usedas fixed reference points and can be used to detect each other,according to one example embodiment. For example, when any one of theimaging devices moves, other imaging devices may detect the movingimaging device. This may create a self-maintained ecosystem of imagingdevices that can detect and report movement of any individual imagingdevice. No access points are thus necessary and the system is completelydependent upon the imaging devices themselves in conducting locationdetection.

FIG. 4 illustrates one example embodiment of how each of the imagingdevices may obtain ranging information without requiring externaldevices such as readers, access points, and beacons. At block 400, afirst radio device associated with a first imaging device may search forother similar radio devices within range. In one example aspect, thefirst radio device may broadcast a radio signal within a broadcastrange. A second radio device associated with a second imaging devicewithin the broadcast range of the first radio device may receive thebroadcast radio signal. Accordingly, the second radio device maytransmit a response signal containing identifying information to thefirst radio device. The identifying information may include radio deviceidentification and information related to the associated imaging device.

At block 410, the first radio device may receive the response signal andidentify the second radio device and its associated imaging device. Thefirst radio device may also extract other information, such as timinginformation, signal strength of the response signal, or other values orparameters that can be used to derive ranging information.

At block 420, the first radio device may perform ranging calculations toaccurately determine the distance between itself and the second radiodevice using the information extracted from the response signal. Avariety of existing calculation methods may be used including, but arenot limited to, RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator), TOA (Time ofArrival), TDOA (Time Delay of Arrival), TOF (Time of Flight), RTT (RoundTrip Time), and SDS-TWR (Symmetrical Double Sided Two Way Ranging). Atblock 430, the second radio device may store the calculated distancealong with the imaging device associated with it in a memory.

At block 440, the first radio device may determine whether all othersimilar radio devices within its range have been identified. Upon anegative determination, the process branches back to block 410 where thefirst radio device identifies other unidentified radio devices. Thus,the process flow from block 410 to block 440 may be repeated by thefirst radio device until all similar radios within range have beenidentified.

After communicating with other similar radio devices within range andcollecting a list of imaging devices and their respective distances, thefirst radio device may report the list to the firmware of the imagingdevice it is associated with, at block 450. In one aspect, the imagingdevice firmware may be configured to receive location information,including the list of imaging devices and ranging information, from theRTLS radio devices. In another aspect, the imaging device may have asoftware program (such as an ESF application) installed and configuredto receive location information from the RTLS radio devices.

It will be appreciated that since detection of surrounding radio devicesis dependent on the range of a radio device, an imaging device may notbe able to detect all other imaging devices in the customer location,especially those outside the range of its associated radio device.However, it may not be necessary for a single imaging device to detectevery single imaging device in the customer location. For example, FIG.5 illustrates imaging devices 510, 520, 530, 540, 550, 560, 570, and 580positioned at various locations within a customer location. Even thoughimaging device 580 is not detectable by imaging device 510 due tobroadcast range limitations, noise interferences, or other factors,other imaging devices within the coverage of imaging device 510, such asimaging devices 520, 530, and 540, may detect imaging device 580. Assuch, the imaging devices in the customer location may not be able todirectly detect each other, but may still be connected to each otherindirectly. It will also be appreciated that any ranging technology orcombination of technologies may be employed, so long as ranginginformation is automatically determined.

Referring back to FIG. 2, each imaging device may communicate theranging information received from corresponding radio devices to MPSlocation server 130 (block 230). At block 240, MPS location server 130may calculate the location of each imaging device in the customerlocation based on ranging information reported by each imaging device.In one example embodiment, MPS location server 130 may include alocation engine that takes the ranging information from the imagingdevices and utilizes the information to create a multi-dimensional gridor model that indicates the relative locations of the imaging deviceswith respect to each other. FIG. 5 illustrates an exampletwo-dimensional model 500 that shows position or distance relationshipbetween imaging devices 510, 520, 530, 540, 550, 560, 570, and 580.

At block 250, MPS location server 130 may calibrate the location of eachimaging device to the floor plan. In one example embodiment, the MPSlocation server may superimpose or overlay the multi-dimensional modelof relative imaging device locations to the calibrated floor plan. FIG.6 illustrates the two-dimensional model 500 in FIG. 5 superimposed onthe floor plan 310 shown in FIG. 3. As a result, the locations ofimaging devices 510, 520, 530, 540, 550, 560, 570, and 580 arecalibrated to the floor plan 300 as well as to the geospatialcoordinates.

In order for the points corresponding to the imaging devices in thetwo-dimensional model 500 to coincide correctly with the actuallocations of the imaging devices with respect to the floor plan, atleast two of the imaging devices in the customer location may becalibrated to the floor plan upon initial installation. For example, twoimaging devices 530 and 570 (FIG. 5) may be plotted against the floorplan 310 as two reference points 330 and 370 (FIG. 3). Doing so, MPSlocation server 130 is made initially aware of the exact locations ofthe two imaging devices 530 and 570 relative to the floor plan 310.During superimposition, the two points in the two-dimensional modelcorresponding to the same two imaging devices 530 and 570 may besubstantially matched with the floor plan 310 to occupy the same spaceor location as the two reference points 330 and 370, respectively. Inthis way, the two-dimensional model 500 may be superimposed on the floorplan 310 at a proper angle or orientation such that each point on themodel 500 may accurately correspond to the exact locations of eachimaging device with respect to the floor plan 310.

In an alternative example embodiment, a single imaging device may becalibrated to the floor plan upon initial installation such that itsabsolute location is the only location known by MPS location server 130.In such a case, the radio device associated with that single imagingdevice may have to be equipped with position detection sensors. Forexample, the radio device may determine the distances, positions, andorientations in space of surrounding radio devices within range,relative to itself In one aspect, the radio device may calculate thelongitude/latitude points of the other radio devices within range, andpass the location information, including the longitude/latitude points,to MPS location server 130. When MPS location server 130 overlays themodel to the floor plan, MPS location server 130 may utilize at leastone longitude/latitude point associated with another imaging device as areference point in addition to the fixed reference point correspondingto the singly calibrated imaging device.

For example, imaging device 540 (FIG. 5) may be plotted against thefloor plan 310 as a reference point 340 (FIG. 3). In the detectionstage, imaging device 540 may determine the longitude/latitude point ofimaging device 520. During superimposition, the point in the model 500corresponding to imaging device 540 may be substantially matched tooccupy the same space and location as reference point 340 on the floorplan 310. In addition, the longitude/latitude point of imaging device520 may also be matched to the geospatial coordinates of the calibratedfloor plan 310. As such, two points are matched so that overlaying ofthe model onto the floor plan may be established at a proper angle ororientation. Once the singly calibrated imaging device is used toestablish a relationship between the absolute and relative location ofthe entire set of devices, movement of individual devices can thereaftertake place. Movement, however, may require further calibration betweendevices, floor plans, absolute and relative locations.

Once the MPS location server has calibrated the exact location of eachimaging device to the floor plan and to the geospatial coordinates, thefloor plan may be provided to a user upon request (block 260).

In the case of a multi-story building, each imaging device may detectother imaging devices above, below, or on the same floor of themulti-story building. MPS location server 130 may create athree-dimensional grid that plots the relative locations of each imagingdevice. MPS location server 130 may then overlay the three-dimensionalgrid to the multiple levels of the building, as shown for example inFIG. 7.

In one example embodiment, MPS location server 130 may be capable ofsending updated accurate geospatial location information to each imagingdevice. Each imaging device may be configured to accept and internallystore the geospatial location information and provide the informationupon network query.

In another example embodiment, MPS location server 130 may be connecteddirectly to a wide area communication network for communication with anMPS provider's server. MPS location server 130 may communicate the listof imaging devices and location data to the MPS provider's server so asto allow the MPS organization to be aware of the statuses of the imagingdevices in the customer location at any given time.

In another example embodiment, the disclosed systems and methods mayalso be implemented as a web service that may allow users, other thanservice technicians, to retrieve building floor plans which indicate thelocations of various imaging devices within the user location. In oneexample aspect, users may retrieve the floor plans via theirworkstations, laptops, mobile devices, or any other device that candisplay floor plan images on a screen.

The above example embodiments thus provide a “location aware” imagingdevice ecosystem. Movements of the imaging devices within the ecosystemare detected without requiring external access points, readers orgateways. In other words, the imaging devices rely on themselves todetect and track each other. Moreover, the above embodiments alsoprovide real-time visibility of exact locations of imaging devices in acustomer location.

Thereafter, the radio devices may remain in a movement sensingcondition. If an imaging device is moved, the radio devices attached tothe neighboring imaging devices may detect its movement and respectivelyperform ranging calculations. The radio device of the relocated imagingdevice may also perform its own ranging calculations at its newlocation. For example, FIGS. 8 and 9 show imaging device 550 of FIGS. 5and 6 having been moved from a first location to a second location at550′. In turn, the imaging devices 530, 540 and 550 communicate with oneanother by radio (dashed lines) to establish ranging information orposition data, as before. As the new position data reveals that imagingdevice 550 has moved locations, the imaging devices pass their updatedranging information to MPS location server 130 for processing. As isseen, the distance between the imaging device at location 550′ is closerto each of the imaging devices 530, 540 and 560 than is the imagingdevice 550 at its initial location, e.g., distance arrows A′, B′ and C′are shorter than distance arrows A, B and C, respectively. In radiotransmission and reception, the time of flight (TOF) and round trip time(RTT) of signals to and from the imaging device at location 550′ arefaster than they were for the imaging device 550 in its originallocation. Similarly, the strength of signal is also stronger as thedevices are now closer to one another. Other metrics are also availableto observe distance relationships as earlier discussed. In turn, MPSlocation server recalculates the locations of the imaging devices usingthe ranging information reported by each imaging device. MPS locationserver 130 recreates the grids or models that indicate the new relativelocations of the imaging devices with respect to each other and overlaysthem on the floor plan. As such, MPS location server may only need toperform updates on the locations of each imaging device with respect tothe floor plan and their respective geospatial coordinates (absolutelocation) once changes in relative locations are detected by the radiodevices of the imaging devices in the customer location.

The description of the details of the example embodiments have beendescribed using imaging devices in a customer location. However, it willbe appreciated that the teachings and concepts provided herein may alsobe applicable to track or monitor other assets that are normallyconnected to the network, such as, for example, workstations and serversor other common electronic devices such as wearable electronicbracelets, smart phones, tablets, etc.

Many modifications and other embodiments of the disclosure set forthherein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which thesedisclosures pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in theforegoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is tobe understood that the disclosure is not to be limited to the specificembodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments areintended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a genericand descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

1. A method for tracking location of a plurality of electronic devices,comprising: initializing a computing device with a site floor plan;receiving at the computing device ranging information transmitted by oneof the electronic devices; marking a present location of said one of theelectronic devices on the site floor plan for display to a user based onsaid ranging information; upon movement of said one of the electronicdevices to a second location, receiving second ranging information atthe computing device from the one of the electronic devices; and showingmovement on the site floor plan of said one of the electronic devicesfrom the present location to the second location.
 2. The method of claim1, further including showing movement on the site floor plan for otherdevices of the electronic devices as said other devices move frominitial to subsequent locations and transmit ranging information to thecomputing device.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the initializing thecomputing device with the site floor plan includes calibrating the sitefloor plan with geospatial coordinates.
 4. The method of claim 2,further including transmitting distance estimations between said one ofthe electronic devices and said other devices of the electronic devices.5. The method of claim 1, further including overlaying amulti-dimensional map on the site floor plan.
 6. The method of claim 1,further including determining an absolute location for each of theelectronic devices.
 7. The method of claim 6, further includingtransmitting a respective said absolute location from the computingdevice to said each of the electronic devices, said each of theelectronic devices storing in memory the respective said absolutelocation and being responsive to queries over a network to provide therespective said absolute location.